I write this as I currently await my second and final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine later in the week.
Being a pharmacist I would love to serve as an accessible source of information if and whenever possible. What better time than when the world is still on pause over this pandemic and many have been wondering about the newly approved and released vaccines by way of the companies Pfizer and Moderna.
So here goes nothing.
What about the virus so far
The coronavirus is still very much at large. Although many in the camp (of society) have on their own accord decided they're done and over it, it's safer and smarter to continue moving around like everyone is contagious. The experience of being in healthcare makes this consideration easier for me. A lot of people I've come to realize would rather deny and complain until it hits home unfortunately.
Via the CDC, the national COVID-19 death toll is breaching towards 400,000. As it stands, the main spread slowing recommendations are still to...
1) Wear a mask when you're out to protect yourself and others in your vicinity
2) Stay at least 6 feet (about two arm lengths) from those you don’t already live with
3) Generally avoid crowds. The more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed by symptomatic as well as asymptomatic carriers
4) Avoid being stuck in poorly ventilated indoor spaces
5) Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
Older adults and individuals with certain underlying medical conditions are still at higher risk of getting very sick from the virus. However it is important to remember and reiterate that people of any age can get COVID-19 and become severely ill, even healthy young adults and children.
The major signs and symptoms remain to be fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, majorly loss of taste or smell, and sore throat but many other occurrences can be true. It's important to get tested if you're ever aware of exposure or assumed exposure. Tests are being done almost everywhere and some even yielding close to immediate results as we speak.
What about the vaccines
Near the end of last year the federal administration alongside pharmaceutical companies were spearheading the development of COVID-19 vaccination and pursuing the emergent authorization to administer. Eyebrows definitely began to raise. The vaccines formulated were of the messenger RNA variety—also known as mRNA vaccines. Not new to the research world but to outsiders, questionable.
The role of the mRNA vaccine is to deliver protein making instructions to produce a similar indicator protein of the offending virus; the spike protein. It's not the actual virus itself but this entire process will trigger a prompt response for antibodies building immunity.
Fun fact that even I recently learned: the COVID-19 coronavirus has spikes of protein on each viral particle. The spikes make coronaviruses unique as in they got their name because the viruses have spikes that look like a crown.
When it comes to the vaccines there's no cell nucleus entering, DNA altering, or any of that going on.
Was it not too early?
A bulk of opposition towards these vaccines is that they came to fruition rather quickly and there are a lot of reasonable answers behind that. For starters this is a global pandemic, many companies have ended up investing significantly into the necessary top of the line resources. Top of the line scientists and health professionals for that matter. Safety protocols and adequate testing still had to be observed in a reasonably timed fashion considering the circumstances. The trials were large and data was reviewed by a safety monitoring board before release.
In order to receive even an emergency use authorization manufacturers need to follow participants in their vaccine trials for at least two months after completing their vaccination series. Subsequently, the CDC and FDA is poised to continue monitoring vaccines closely as time goes by for any updated reports.
What about side effects?
Vaccines aren't like the medications we typically take for treatment. They're only in your body for a short period of time. There's no build up, no blood distribution, just a stimulated immune system then out the door, eliminated just like that. Any adverse reactions are essentially... well reactionary.
The reactions I'm aware of include injection site soreness, headache, fever, chills, fatigue (all signs the immune system is at work, extremely normally) all lasting for a day or two. Anything lingering longer is of course grounds for alerting your physician.
Reactions that have not been confirmed from the vaccine --some plain myths-- no infertility, no direct cause link to Bell's Palsey, no transmission of the virus itself. Remember this vaccination builds a "spike protein" of the coronavirus and is not the coronavirus. Not weakened, not inactivated, not at all.
My experience...
I'm about to receive my 2nd (booster) dose and will soon update on my experience. That's the round in particular that delivers more of the side effects on profile or so I've heard.
Under a healthcare professional we were quote-unquote first in line for the vaccination roll out. Now things are changing when it comes to storage issues, shortages, priority changes, etc... Heck our president is changing.
Like any other vaccine we're handed a VIS (Vaccine Information Statement) outlining what it is and what to expect and before you know it all is said and done.
I didn't even feel the needle this first go around. If not for the soreness I had from evening to next evening I wouldn't have remembered the shot.
Pray for me tackling this 2nd dose real soon though.
In all, to each their own. Through pharmacy school and currently through practice I've been learning to balance the ever so persistent push for medicine and science along with the history of my people trust and healthcare.
I am always open to answering questions. I want so much for everyone to feel comfortable asking them in the first place. Do I personally recommend the vaccine? I do
Does it hurt? Very likely depending on the person
Does it work? As far as we know, with the trials and the numbers (up to 95%) it does
What's the difference Pfizer vs Moderna? For the most part storage and manufacturing details but nothing too crazy. The mRNA in the two vaccines have slightly different structures but I mean the chances of most individuals being able to “pick” one make over the other are pretty slim to none anyway. The vaccine available will be the one you’ll get.
Do you still need the vaccine if you've gotten COVID? Yes, there's been proof of reinfection and if an option exists for that reinfection to perhaps be mild/eliminate severities/complications... why not... 90 days is recommended between a positive test and a vaccination.
Do you still need to wear a mask after the vaccine? Yes, it might take forever before a safe level of immunity is reached as a unit (herd immunity) it's better to be safe than sorry and keep the masks on.
Also with more variants being discovered and researchers still being in the grey about how long vaccination immunity will even last. You might carry, you might spread.
Get used to the masking, social distancing and hand-washing. We're still in this.
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